Thursday, February 20, 2014

REVIEW: Beaute Cosmetics Liqui-Gel Stain in Flouron

Did you ever purchase a product on an "ooh that's a conversation starter" whim, but with no real expectations, only to try said product and be blown out of the water? Yeeeah, that's kind of what happened here. I figured it was going to be a standard stain: unusable on the cheeks, parching on the lips, and lacking any real pigment or staying power. Oh, friends, I was so so SO wrong.

Before we get too engrossed, let's talk about that color.

On the outside, Beaute Flouron looks like a super-duper neon, bright orange. This has confused people in the past; several people have mentioned ordering Flouron and thinking they'd accidentally received Neon (the actual-facts bright orange shade) instead. I mean, it's bright pink in the Beaute Cosmetics website photo, WTF?! But take a good look at that tube. Do you see that air bubble near the E? Notice how it looks kind of pink?

Just open the tube and your fears should be assuaged: while the super-concentrated product DOES look orange, as soon as it's spread out (as it is on the mouth of the tube), you can see it's actually a vivid, slightly yellow neon pink. In other words, please don't panic, it doesn't apply orange.

Each tube is $29 for...um, a full tube. I wish I could give you exact ounces, but it's not listed on the website and I'm too blind to read the super-teeny letters on the sticker. (EDIT: Ah-ha, found it! It's in the fine print: 3g, 0.11oz.) The packaging is simple and sleek (my style), and the applicator is a standard doe foot. The product does have a slight chemical scent; however, I can't smell it after applying.

NOTE: this photo is the best representation of the actual color; the header image makes it appear a tad more fuchsia/dark because of the lighting.

The Beaute Cosmetics website recommends working quickly, as this product will dry in 12 seconds (what an exact number!). I generally agree with the 12 second time frame; it will take upwards of 2 minutes to go completely matte and immovable, but if you make a mistake, you need to remove it immediately or it'll stick. That being said, as long as I went 1 lip or 1 cheek at a time, I didn't have any problems with mistakes; the doe foot applicator is easy to use. Layering this product did not cause streaking or pilling.

Beaute also states that you can layer the product for more coverage/saturation. I did apply 2 layers of the product to my lips because I'm a gaudy ho, then 2 layers to my cheeks because I assumed 1 layer wouldn't show up on camera. I definitely prefer 2 layers on the lips over 1 because it makes the color a bit brighter and much more even. The finish on the lips is a really interesting matte finish that seems to blur lip lines and look continuously "soft focus," almost like I've pressed powder over a lipstick. It was very slightly drying, but nothing beyond the norm for a stain or a matte product.

However, I should've stuck with 1 layer on the cheeks, because gaddamn, this stuff is bright! It's also a bit less optimal as a blush: it dries super fast, it's easy to overdo, and it was a tad hard to blend on my super-dry skin. I'll probably avoid using this as a blush on most occasions, or only use 1 layer, because I actually think it's a little too neon to work on my cheeks. That being said, it doesn't look chalky and it does work as a blush if you feel so inclined, so it's living up to Beaute's claims.

As for the lasting power: holy fudgenuts, this stuff is obscenely powerful! After 2 minutes, it will not come off. It does not transfer on to your cups when you drink, on to your food when you eat, or on to people's cheeks when you kiss them. It does not smear or bleed. Once it's on, it's there to stay. It will actually stain your lips a bit, even after you've removed it with an oil-based remover, so be prepared to still have some bright pink tint the next day.

The only product I could think to compare to Flouron is the original MAC Viva Glam Nicki lipstick. But even that product--notoriously bright and neon--looks downright "blah" next to the oh so vibrant Beaute stain.

This isn't a shade for the faint of heart, and none of the shades listed on Beaute's website are what you'd call "nude." But the Beaute Cosmetics Liqui-Gel Stains have the most impressive stain formula I've ever encountered, and every color is right up my alley. I would run right out and buy them all if I had the money. If you aren't afraid of neons and you want something that'll get you through a war, this is the product for you.

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